Means for vacuumizing, gasifying, and siruping containers



Jan. 5, 1937. J. T. MCCROSSON MEANS FOR VACUUMIZING, GASIFYING, AND SIRUPING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 28, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 5, 1937. MCCROSSON 2,066,356

MEANS FOR VACUUMIZING, GASIFYING, AND SIRUPING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 28, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvmon E 5 JOHN I. M CROSSON ATTORNEY Jan. 5, 1937. J. T. McCROSSON MEANS FOR VACUUMIZING, GASIFYING, AND SIRUPING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 28, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR JOHN L M CROSSON pa ATTORN'EY Jan. 5, 1937. J. T. MCCROSSON MEANS FOR VACUUMIZING, GASIFYING, AND SIRUPING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 28, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JOHN T, M CROSSON aux W ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR VACUUMIZING, GASIFYING, I AND SIRUPING CONTAINERS John T. McCrosson, Port-au-Prince, Haiti Application November 28, 1931, Serial No. 577,794

7 Claims. (Cl. 99-234) This invention refers to means for vacuumizing, gasifying and siruping containers for food and other products, and more especially to a device for filling and preserving the product, or the liquid parts thereof, in containers such as tin cans.

An object of the invention is to provide-a means for packing such products in cans, which includes the step of introducing the solid elements in the cans or containers prior to introduction into this device, and thereafter to automatically sirup the product as the containers are fed through the device.

Another. object is to provide an automatic 1.; means in association with the above, whereby the containers may be vacuumized and/ or gasified before the operation of siruping or filling, to be ="--=thereafter sealed up in such manner as to preserve the contents of the containers and prevent their deterioration.

All these and other objects, as suggested herebelow, are attained by the means now to be described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- 25 Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in cross section, of the complete device, minus the conveyor table, for use in performing the triple operations of vacuurnizing, gasifying and siruping containers, including the essential corollary operations of introducing and discharging said containers to and from the device automatically and at a high rate of speed.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the essential operating parts of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation taken from the opposite end of the complete device to that of Fig. 2, and showing the conveyor which introduces the containers to the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly complete, of the container conveyor of Fig. 3, and which is an essential part of the device of Fig. 1, and extending from the lefthand side thereof as viewed in the drawings, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view showing 45 the detail of the container retarding means, as

the containers are fed along to the machine by the belt conveyor.

-- Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the details of the sprocket chain and container feeding arms 50 attached thereto, and also showing the mechanism for automatically synchronizing the movement of the container retarding means of Fig. 5,

with the other essential operations of the device.

Fig;-7 is a detail view, somewhat enlarged from 56 that shown in the assembly of Fig. 1, of the toggle joint operated mechanism for closing and sealing the vacuum chambers.

Fig. 8 is a detail showing the feed arms, chains, sprockets and cams, and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 8 showing constructional features.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The material containers, of. which two are shown in Fig. 1 and numbered H), II enter the machine by being fed automatically by the conveyor shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This conveyor consists essentially of a pedestal or stand 12, Figs. 3 and 4,

mounting on suitable bearings a wide pulley l3 positioned at a distance from a second similar pulley I 4, Fig. 1, the two pulleys l3|4 being connected by a wide endless belt l5. Adjustable guard rails I6l l are mounted on a suitable frame l8 over the uppermost horizontal portion of belt l5, and in a manner as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, to hold the containers in vertical position on the conveyor belt as it moves them toward the machine. An idler pulley I9 is rotatably mounted on an arm 20 about a pivot 2| in the frame l8 and rests against the upper surface of the lower horizontal portion of belt l5 to keep the uppermost surface of the belt, which conveys the containers, in a stretched horizontal position, this being accomplished either by the weight ofthe arm and pulley or by a suitably placed spring (not shown) in a manner well known in this type of construction.

The mechanism which feeds a predetermined number of the'containers (in this instance, nine) in proper sequence with the other operations of the machine, is fully described in a co-pending patent application of this inventor, Serial No. 338,695, and which was filed February 9, 1929, and therefore this disclosure shows only generally such construction. It consists of a bracket 22, Figs. 3 and 4, having a horizontal holding portion as shown in Fig. 2 pivotally supporting a sprocket wheel 23, and a pair of horizontal parallel spaced cam rails 24, 25 between which a roller cam is caused to travel by being attached to the sprocket chain 93 which is driven by the companion sprocket 8|, Fig. 1, on the opposite or discharge end of the machine. With this construction, suitable arms properly spaced on the sprocket chain are made by cam motion to move downwardly between successive batches of the containers as they are moved along by the conveyor belt in a direction shown by the arrows, Fig. 4, and they are carefully timed in sequence with the other operations of the machine and in manner to be now described.

The containers as they are fed to the machine on the conveyor belt l9 are halted about at the position marked A, Fig. 4. This is accomplished by mounting on a shelf member 99, Fig. 4, ad- Jacent' belt l9, a pivoted trigger arm 99, Fig. 9, pivoted to shelf 99 at 91, and being operated by a connecting link 98 pivotally attached to a vertical cam 'link 99, Fig. 6, terminating in a curved or cam shaped upper portion 89A and pivoted to swing about the bracket bearing 99. A spiral spring 9|A attached to the lower end of lever 99, and with its other end attached on the right thereof to the frame I9 of the machine, returns said member 99 to its normal camming position, shown by full lines, from its cammed dotted line position during its normal operation. Such movement is accomplished through the'movement of the roller end 9| of each of the bell crank operating arms 92, each of which is secured to the sprocket chain 99 at a pivot point 94. As sprocket chain 99 is caused to move around its end sprockets 29--8|, it carries the plurality of equispaced bell crank arms 92, and thus the rollers 9| come to engage the cam rail 24-29, Figs. 1 and 6. Meanwhile, pivot point 94 of hell crank lever 92, has continued to be pulled around by its sprocket chain 99, causing the long outer or operating portion of arm '92 to be raised up and then moved around in a circular path in manner as shown by their dotted line positions. When roller 9| enters the cam groove in the side surface of the combined cam and sprocket wheel 29, as shown in Fig. 6, it cams outwardly orto the left of the surface 99A which projects into the cam groove, and in doing so, moves the lower end of arm 99 to the left about its pivot 99, above, thus moving, through link 99, the outer end of member 99, Fig. 5, into engagement with the most advanced container 9| to halt said container, and those following it, from being fed forward by the moving conveyor belt ii on which they rest.- As soon as roller 9| has encircled the cam groove, the spring 9|A, Fig. 6, returns lever 99 to normal position; and the containers 9|, being no longer retarded by member 89, are again fed by belt l9 into the machine.

The containers are in this manner conveyed by means of the endless belt and the four (or other number of equi-spaced cammed feed arms on the sprocket chain, which moves about the sprockets 29 and 9|. The feed arms 92 carry the containers forwardly or to the right as shown in Fig. 4 and when they have reached a position opposite vacuum chambers 94, Fig. 2 or as shown generally in Fig. 8, the feed arm guide roller 9|, Figs. 4 and 9, and moving to the right as in Fig. 4 or to the left as in Fig. 9, meets a drop in the cam groove, and being shaped like a bell-crank lever as shown, this advances the lower part "of arm 92 .to force the packages into proper position exactly opposite the vacuum chambers so that they can be admitted thereto. The feed arm roller 9| then meets a rise in the cam groove, Figs. 8 and 9, which throws back the lower part of arm 92 to move it out of position from interference with member 99, just prior to the lateral movement of member 99 by which the containers are moved into the vacuum chambers. To explain this further, it will be noted that the contacting end of arm 92 is first given a push forwardly, or to the left as in Fig. 9, due to its bellcrank lever and meeting the drop in the cam groove. This forward push is intensified because of the difference in leverage between the lower longer pushing armand the upper shorter bellcrank arm. By that means the plurality of containers are pushedv forwardly so that the arm 92 no longer is in contact with the last of said containers. Immediately thereafter the contacting end of arm 92 is quickly pushed back or further out of contact with its container due to the bellcrank lever end meeting the rise in the cam groove, shown to the left'in Fig. 9. Thus there is a sumcient time interval when the arm 92 is free of contact with the rearmost container to permit the member 99 to cross the path'of arm 92 to complete its function and move one set of containers into its chamber and simultaneously. to move the other set into the path of arm 92. At this point arm 92 has passed out of the cam rail rise and drop portion and its normal progress to the left, as in Fig. 9, has been resumed, and so arm 92 again contacts the rearmost container of the vacuumized set and pushes it and its companion containers out of the machine. The containers are thus pushedinio one or the other of trays 29, 29, Fig. 2, depending upon which is in position at the moment. These trays are secured to a movable gate 99 having rubber glands or other air-tight members 9| in its side vertical surfaces, as shown in Fig. 2; and this gate 99 is causedfto move by means of an arm 92 project.-

ing into its hollow interior, as clearly shown in the drawings, and which in turn is made to move in manner as hereafter described.

The machine proper comprises a pedestal or standard 99, Figs. 1 and 2, on which is mounted a heavy cast-iron bed plate 94, on which all opcrating parts are mounted so as to avoid the tendency of misalignment from assemblage. Bed plate 94 is, of course, then rigidly secured to its standards or leg sections 99. 4

A pair of opposed pistons 99-99, Fig. 2, moved horizontally in their cylinders 9I-99, respectively, (in manner as hereafter described) are attached together and to the gate-movinglever 92 by means of a suitable link or cross head 99. Mounted on link 99 is a pair of friction rollers 49 which in the partial full line position shown to the left of Fig. 2, have acted to close the lefthand vacuum box 4|; and when in the full dotted line position, shown to the right, the opposite side of member 99 is in engagement with the opposite vacuum box 94 to in turn close it. Steel lever 92 is bolted onto the cross head or link 99 to which pistons 99, "are fastened. Thus the movement upwardly of member 42 will tightly press the vacuum sealing member 99 against either vacuum box with considerable wedging pressure. Such movement is accomplished by member 42 being bolted onto a suitable toggle joint construction 49. The stationary pivots for this toggle joint 49 are 44 and 49, and a cam roller 49, Fig. 2, slides in a groove (shown by dotted lines) in a rotating-cam 41, which operates the toggle in proper sequence with the other operations of the machine. In the position shown in Fig. 2, the roller 49 is in the innermost portion of the cam race and thus has moved the toggle 49 into position for wedging gate 99 against chamber 4|. The cam race is so shaped 7 become worn. This pin 96 is the only connection to toggle joint 43. Member 42 is held to move in a vertical direction by having its lower end forked, as shown in dotted lines, to move over pin 44, and also by having its upper end slide between rollers 91, 98 and alsoin the otherplaneby having its upper end slide through a slot in the crosshead member 39.

The siruping mechanism is operated from an internal cam 99, Fig. 1, mounted on drive shaft 10, which, when rotated thereby, causes cam pin I00 to raise and lower. Pin I00, Figs. 1 and 2, is mounted on one end of a link 48, which is pivoted at 49, and which raises and lowers an adjustable link 50.

When link rises, it moves the bell 'crank lever 5I to in turn move the connecting lever 52, to the right as viewed in the drawings, Fig. 2. Attached to bell crank lever 5I and moving with it about its pivot is an arm 59. The opposite or right-hand end of connecting lever 52 is pivotally attached to an arm 54 mounted to swing about the bearing 55, and carrying with it an arm 59A which is similar to arm 59. Thus the upward movement of member 50 moves downwardly the outer end of arm 59 and upwardly the outer-end of arm 59A.

Arm 59 moves a tappet member 63.and with it the spindle 51 downwardly, and carries along a siruping nozzle I0 I, Fig. 2, which moves through a gland or packing in the top of vacuum box 4|. Carried on the lower end of nozzle IN is a siruping head I02 mounting a sealing gasket I03 adapted to press down upon the upper edge of container 6|. A bronze follower 60, with beveled edges, also moves downwardly to center the container beneath said sealing gasket.

The continued downward movement of arm 59 9 then causes an independent downward movement of spindle 51 which presses its valve 62 off its seat, to admit the sirup from its flexible hose connection 64 from tank 65.

The same operation, of course, takes place on the opposite vacuum box 84.

And when link 50 is moved downwardly to raise these several parts to their original position, the valve 02 closes first, and then the seal is removed from the top of the container.

Drive shaft 10 mounts on its lefthand end, as viewed in Fig. 1, a drive sprocket I04, which in turn drives a smaller sprocket I05 through chain I06. Sprocket I05 has keyed to it a bevel pinion I0! which meshes with and drives a second bevel gear I08 keyed to shaft I09 on which pulley I4 revolves. This completes the drive from motor 66 to the container feeding mechanism.

In this use of the invention, the containers are usually first filled with the solid substance of the materials to be canned, andthefluid or sirup is afterward admitted in the machine in the manner heretofore described.

The machine is operated preferably by an electric motor 66, Fig. 1, operating through a belt 01, a drive pulley 68 rotating a worm (not shown) to in turn rotate the worm gear 69 which is keyed onto and rotates the drive shaft 10. Shaft 10 extends through a stationary portion of a combined vacuumizing and gasifying valve, said stationary portion being designated by the numeral II and being adacent to a movable portion 12, keyed to and rotating with drive shaft 10. The relative movement at slow speed of the parts II-I2 of the combined valve, opens and closes ports to the line from the vacuum and gas supply, and in proper sequence with the other operations of the machine. Thus the exhaust line is shown at I3, there being of course a suitable connection between the part of the pipe attached to the valve and the part projecting up through the machine bed 34 as shown in Fig. 1 This pipe 13 is both a vacuum and gas pipe. Another vacuum pipe (not shown) connects with cylinders 31-38, and, being operated by valve II-I2, moves pistons 9538 to move cross head 39. This pipe of course is connected to a source of vacuum created by the usual vacuum pump. Likewise, a pipe 14 connects the valve with a source of the necessary gas and is then connected to the vacuum chambers. The details of construction of valve 1 I-12 are shown in applicant's co-pending application, and form no part of this invention, and so are disclosed only generally. Valves of this type are well known in the art, be-- ing shown, for instance, in Patents 952,178 dated March 15, 1910; 795,911 dated Aug. 1, 1905; 661,712 dated Nov. 13, 1900; and 592,279 dated Oct. 26, 1897. Patent Oflice class 251. sub-classes 84 to 90 inclusive, includes many other patents of this type, in addition to the above.

A stop 15 is positioned as shown in Fig. 2 to prevent the connecting links from the toggle joint 43 from moving past dead-center to the left.

Drive shaft 10 also rotates the vertical shaft 10, Fig. 1, through beveled gears ll-10, to in turn drive beveled gear 19 through its companion gear keyed to shaft 16. Gear 19 is mounted to rotate with a sprocket wheel 8|, which drives the chain 93 with its arms 92.

An adjustment (not shown), is preferably provided in connecting lever 52, as a means of controlling the adjustment of the parts which it operates.

It will thus be seen that this machine operates automatically to feed in the containers, for instance filled with the solid substance, such as canned fruit, moves them in batches equivalent to the number which the vacuumizing and gasifying chambers can hold, shifts each series of,

cans laterally to one side or the other to the vacuum chamber not in use, exhausts the air from each set of containers, successively, and then gasifies it. Or, instead of gasifying, it fills the container with sirup at the same time completing the vacuumizing operation; and in the meantime loading and unloading arms 92 convey a following series of containers to the opposite vacuum chamber, and then move the completely filled and prepared cans from each side tray 28-29 successively, off their respective ends to a conveyor or receptacle, to be thus ejected from the machine, while at the same time, by its continued longitudinal movement, the arms 92 move to allocate the series of containers to the position opposite the vacuum chambers to permit said containers to be moved laterally into the chambers, as already described on page 4 of this specification. This admits the following series of containers to the opposite vacuumizing chamber; and this process is repeated. Thus, material is fed in at one end, its various essential operations performed, and the completed filled cans ejected from the opposite end, and at a high rate of speed. The air is almost completely exhausted from these cans, and if desired, the necessary gasifying operation then performed (this being not always necessary or desirable). Or the can is instead completely filled with sirup leaving no space for air to be retained. The top is applied to the can, usually after removal from the machine.

'umizing, gasifying,

of the various machine functions. number of multiples used is subject only to c0n- Particular attention is directed to the fact that with this machine and method of operation, there results for the first time, a multiple feeding, vacuand siruping operation; whereas heretofore these operations were always carried on singly. This feature of multiple action is important not only because it can be used to increase the efficiency of production from the machine directly as the multiple used (for instance, nine, as here shown) but also because a portion or all of such increased operating efliciency may be diverted to increase the length of treatment or the time consumed in any or all Moreover, the

structional limitations.

These several steps in the method of this invention are performed in proper sequence to bring about the new and useful results accomplished.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is for thepurposeof illustration only, and

that the invention is not limited thereto. To those skilled in the art, many modifications of the invention will be readily apparent, and it will also be obvious to such skilled persons that part of the method and means may be used without other parts thereof, many such combinations of the parts readily suggesting themselves. For instance, where cylindrical metal cans are shown as containers, these may be of other shapes, and made of glass, paper, or other materials; Variations, too, may be made in the driving means to the essential operating parts. And so on. There-. .fore, it should be, and is to be distinctly underaooaase chamber, means for vacuumizing the chamber 4 for siruping the containers automatically while in the vacuumizing chambers.

3. The invention as in claim 1, including means for gasifying the containers in said chambers.

4. An apparatus for continuously treating material in apiurality of containers, comprising a plurality of treatment chambers, means for feeding a plurality of containers to one of said chambers and starting the treatment thereon, means for feeding a following plurality of containers to another of said chambers andvstarting the treatment thereon, meansfor completing the treatment of the'nrst plurality of containers and thereafter ejecting them from the apparatus, and means for then completing the treatment of the second plurality of containers, and then ejecting them from theapparatus.

5. The invention as in claim .4, all said con tainers being fed to and elected from the plurality of chambers by common conveying means.

6. An apparatus for vacuumizing containers, including a pair of vacuumizing chambers opening toward each other and positioned on opposite sides of a conveyor belt, a double-sided sealing member having on each side thereof holding trays for the containers and adapted to be moved laterally to carry a plurality of containers first into one chamber and seal it, and then into the other chamber and seal it, and means including double-opposed cylinders with pistons connected to said sealing and conveying member, and adapted to move it by means of a vacuum introduced first into one cylinder and then into the other to cause movement of said pistons,

7. The invention as in claim 6, including wedging means adapted to move against the sealing member to wedge it into airtight engagement against the open side of each vacuumizing chamber.

JOHN T. McCROBSON. 

